


A Fate of Death

by cooldeadpool15



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-23 07:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11397894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cooldeadpool15/pseuds/cooldeadpool15
Summary: Growing up with a rough childhood, abandoned, Corrin carved his own path to life with any means necessary just to survive. Now he is what he is, and what he was seemed to be catching up to him. After a rough tumble in his life, he sought a way to renew himself and to find a safe place. With fortune smiling upon him, he grabbed at the chance and became a butler for the Royal Family. Though no matter how much he tries, he will never escape fate. Though he finds it funny sometimes because fate has that kind of sense of humor.





	1. Chapter 01

**Author's Note:**

> A new take on Fire Emblem Fates. Will probably be a long one and very... different from the canon one. Possibly a mix of Revelation and Conquest with a new blend in the mix. Enjoy. Just a short chapter to give a slight glimpse on my Corrin.

The sweat that rolled down my skin as I did my training this morning was refreshing to say the least. Time has been rather limited ever since I served for the Nohrian Royal Family. Not as a soldier but a butler for the family though it is a bit of a complex situation than that to be quite honest.

I was fairly recent within the ranks of serving royalty, only a mere three years in my service. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite challenging actually but Jakob taught me the ins and outs of being a butler with a patience that suited him for the job. It was practically luck that I got a job inside the castle in the first place. Well, not all of it was luck. Accidentally saving the youngest princess from ruffians was skill not luck, I was just lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time.

Castle Krakenburg is, in all a purposes, a fortress but the exterior is put to shame once you see it inside. Gothic designs framed with gold and silver in almost every room are enough to make cathedrals envy the power the castle exudes. It is intimidating to some, probably because the sun rarely shines here and that gives it its… darker look but I’ve been in worse places.

I was practicing some dagger movements on the pell in the training grounds when I heard the unmistakable clank of armor behind me.

“Ah, you beat me to my favorite spot, pointy _._ ” Silas said, gesturing to my ears.

“Then perhaps you’ll just have to wake up earlier than me, mate.” I raised an eyebrow as I turned. “And stop with the pointy, would you?”

“Pinky, then?” He laughed but I ignored him while I wipe my body with my crumpled tunic before throwing it at him. I missed, unfortunately.

“Came home late from a mission last night actually, unfortunately I woke up late too.” He said as he removed a few pieces of his armor until he was in his tunic. “Up for a sparring?”

“I thought you wouldn’t ask.” I smiled. I was waiting for him actually, he’s a good sparring partner. Pummeling a training dummy using wooden daggers doesn’t exactly offer a good amount of training the way I’m used to.

I watched him arm himself with his sword as I unsheathed my bladed daggers. We readied our stances with bated breath, watching each other’s form, waiting for the first strike. A robin landed in a nearby tree, hopping along its branch. A few seconds pass before it sang, and then it was on.

* * *

 

We gave a satisfied sigh as we rested on the ground. It was definitely a workout. A few soldiers have already started with their training when we were done. We watched as soldiers sparred with one another while we tried to catch our breaths. It was hypnotizing to watch them to be honest, before Silas broke the trance.

“You’re still really good with the daggers, you know.” He said. “And I still can’t believe you’re here now.”

“Yes well, training with daggers all my young life will do that,” I replied before wiping my head with a dry cloth. It was easier to dry, having short buzzed hair makes it less pink and less hassle.

“What I really can’t believe is _why_ you chose to be a butler instead of soldier. I know you’re good with swords and bows too so it’s not like the army’s already full,” He said making a gesture. “But it’s like you chose the least exciting job here.”

“Hey, being a butler takes effort and hard work, thank you very much. It’s not always easy. I mean the benefits are amazing but you try taking in the weird demands of Princess Elise and see for yourself how you’ll fare.” I bristled. “Besides, it’s not about the excitement. I just needed a new perspective in life.” I mean certainly, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it was, but it was a necessary move, and it provides less attention.

“Alright, fair enough, so you wanted a challenge, then?” He probed “I mean, not like washing teapots and wiping floors are a challenge.” He added.

“Oho, you’ll regret saying that.” I laughed. “And those are the janitor’s job, you bloody sod. We have those here too.”

We stopped talking for a moment to bask in the rare sunlight that shone down upon us. There are four training grounds, each stationed in some of the many towered walls around the castle. The training grounds were built on top of one of these towers and then arcs and bridges were then built to connect this towers to each other and to the main tower where the King and the royals reside. Though the royals have their own training ground, some of them even come here occasionally to train with the common soldiers.

“So why are you here exactly again?” Silas broke out suddenly.

“It’s… my day off?” I said looking back at him, confused. “It’s one of the benefits of being a butler, you know. We’re not exactly available all the time.”

“I mean I don’t see you for what? Five years?” He sighs. “And now you’re just… here.”

“What are you saying exactly?” I asked.

I studied Silas for a moment, decoding the weight behind those words. I remember the day we met inside the outer walls of the capital when we were both just eleven. It was in a fair. It was my first time in a fair too to be honest and I was allowed to go out for the day to do whatever I want. Just not runaway.

It was then when I met him, a wee bit away from the crowd, surrounded by a larger group of teens. I knew what was up the second I saw them. I was in a similar situation in my early childhood, and something about Silas reminded him of myself back then. So I did what I had to do.

Suffice to say that I beat the bloody shit in all of them. We became friends after that, and then one day he found me training alone in a barn and asked if I could teach him some moves as well. I taught him the basics of swordplay then we often trained together soon after at least until I had to stop training with him. He wanted to ask me to come with him and join the Nohrian army. I couldn’t come with him for my own reasons, and then the next time we saw each other was when I first entered the castle as a butler.

“Like I said, I needed a new scene.” I finally replied before looking back at the training soldiers. He seemed to contemplate on my answer before sighing.

“You know, the mission my squadron just finished last night?” he said, “Lord Leo ordered us to visit and to collect a special tome from this Count in a city in Nestra. I guess he was a fellow mage, and the book seemed important.”

I listened, not sure on where this was going.

“Well, when we got into the Count’s study, there were already two dead bodies.” He paused. “One of them was the Count’s and the other was… we couldn’t say who it was because his face was burned. And so were the books and tomes around. Days’ worth of travel wasted to be honest.”

“So… I’m guessing Lord Leo’s bloody angry at your squad right now?” I added in a sympathizing tone.

“Yeah, that and he sure had our asses handed to us.”  

“I guess I feel worse for the burnt sod. Sad way to die in my opinion.” I jested. “Probably an assistant snooping into things where he wasn’t supposed to and opened a wrong book.”

“That doesn’t explain the dead Count, and this guy wore… different clothing with belts and pouches and all that.” He said carefully. “We think he’s an assassin or a hitman but a third party got involve and killed him too.”

“Just like that? Really?” I asked. No way, an assassin wouldn’t do a sloppy job like that. “It’s probably a merc or something.”

“Well, we can’t know for sure. The only thing we can identify on him besides his clothes, is a mark on his shoulder. A raven tattoo to be exact.” He said, looking down at the ground. That caught my attention, like bugs crawling under my neck I was surprised and I have a feeling now I know where this was going. I instinctively grasped my left shoulder, looking alarmed as I turned to him.

“A tattoo?” I unknowingly whispered.

“Yeah, the same one you have on your shoulder.” Silas finally looked at me.

Bollocks. I should never had gone shirtless.


	2. Chapter 02

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter and a few more background for our Corrin. I was thinking of saving his backstory for a bit laterbut then again, I think I really have to establish him first just so you guys know him a bit. He's not the same Corrin as in the canonverse. I actually modeled his personality a bit more like Kakashi from Naruto and Constantine from the TV Show. Just with pink buzzed cut hair. Enjoy... hopefully.

 

I sat there in silence, weighing my decision on what I should bloody fucking say. Should I say what, we’re both fans of a bloody fucking band orchestra with a raven as their mascot? Stupid. Stupid is what I am. And he’ll never believe that! Perhaps I should tell him the truth, not like I’m the one with the biggest secret here in the castle. There are plenty of weirdos in the ranks with bones in their closets.

“Corrin?” Silas asked, concerned. I sighed in defeat. I owed him an explanation.

“Remember Old Man Dink?”

“That… rude man you lived with?” Silas scoffed. “Yeah. Why? What’s he got to do with this?”

“Come on. We all know you want to call him a mean bastard.” I laughed, rolling my eyes at him. He huffed. “You used to call him Old Man Dick behind his back.”

“Yeah, well he is.” He grunted. I laughed a bit then looked away for a moment.

“Was,” I corrected him.

Yeah, he can be a mean bastard, Old Man Dink that is, but he was the only one close enough to a father I ever had. Sure, he was a tough stony mercenary but I never would have made it without him to be honest. And he’s not even that close to old age, I just call him old because he nags like one and it just stuck.

“He died,” I continued. “Same group with the mark had done him in.” I avoided looking at Silas.

“Did you…” Silas paused, I knew what he was asking.

“No,” I said indignantly. “He may be a bastard but I wouldn’t snuff him out.” I added.

“No, I know, sorry. Just, with the tattoo, I assumed I-“ He stammered before clearing his throat. “I meant, were you part of that group?” He asked hesitantly. I sighed.

“We both were, me and the old man. Things happened, people fought with each other, people died.” I muttered.

“What like… infighting?” Silas asked. “What the hell’s this group anyway, Corrin?”

“Doesn’t matter anymore anyway. Haven’t been a member in a while, group’s dead.” I said with a look that says, ‘ _this is over_ ’ but Silas being the persistent bastard that he is, ignored the look.

“Look, a man with the same mark obviously killed a noble. I can’t just ignore and-“

“The group’s dead, Silas. That guy was probably just looking for easy money and got scorched in the kisser instead because he never accounted that the noble may be a mage. See? Problem solved.” I argued.

“How do you know? You said you’re not a member anymore, what if they came back and you didn’t know it?” Silas snapped. We sat there looking like we were up for round two in training. He schooled his expression before saying, “Unless you’re still…” He stopped, looking away.

“Say it.” I gritted. Oh, I knew what he was hinting at. I laughed when he said nothing. “I may be an ass, but I’m not a dodgy asshole. I’m not gonna do anything to endanger Nohr.” At least, not intentionally but I didn’t say that. 

“Look this was a nice throwback and all but I think I need a nice long dip in the hot springs.” I said while I stood up and stretched.

“Corrin,” Silas said. “Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t hav-“

“It’s all right, mate.” I waved at him dismissively. He sighed, looking dejected. Good. That’ll teach him. We’ll be all right, him and me. A few drinks later will solve it, but right now, I need out. 

Gathering my things, I left him there as I headed for the baths with my thoughts already churning. I just hope he won’t get himself in trouble, knowing Silas, he won’t give up in finding out more about this.

 

* * *

 

 

I walked silently in the hallway as I headed to my quarters. A bustle of maids walked passed me, a few nodded while others walked with a straight face. It was still in the afternoon, so it was understandable for them to still be working so diligently. It was one thing I found easy working as a butler. Sometimes you’d have to keep your face straight, expressionless, to just be there ready to serve. It’s something I was used to.

Most royal servants require two half day offs, mostly it’s the head butler or the seneschal that decides when you will have this, and that responsibility comes to Jakob. Thankfully, he conceded in combining mine to a single day off. Though I can tell, he doesn’t do that often for anyone, it’s more likely that he will never do that for anyone at all to be honest. I suppose I was a special case for him, I didn’t bat an eye against his… ministrations and took what he said at face value, learned what he taught, and did what he did.  

Though he’s a bit of a dick to be honest, well a dick with a patience of an angel I guess, even if most servants vocally expressed their… opinion of him. Perhaps I may have been used to bastards and assholes around all my life that I see him as angelic than what others say otherwise. Of course, Jakob was nothing compared to Old Man Dink. That bastard is tougher as they come. He’d train you hard, even when your muscles ache and you’re lying in your own vomit from exhaustion.

When the old man isn’t training me, I was training alone. Ever since I’ve really learned how to fight, I’ve trained alone. Alone. I never had a family you see. There was a couple who found me when I was but a babe but then left me, abandoned in a church, hoping a person of the Gods would help me, or so I have been told but it doesn’t really matter. I don’t remember anything much before I was left at the church. Perhaps they saw pity in me, or they just didn’t want me.  

And well, aside from that, I stood out. Having pointy ears and pink hair, it’s safe to say I’m not all human, and I learned that the hard way. I was lucky I wasn’t thrown in the woods at all. I had to tough it up from the teasing back then when I was just a mere three and a half feet tall.

I hated how I look; either they teased me about my ears or they call me stuff about my pink hair, until I had just about enough and fought back. It was then when I started keeping my hair short and buzzed. Though I couldn’t do anything about the ears.

I spent my early childhood in a church near the border walls of Windmire. The kids where assholes at best and bullies at worst, and the priest didn’t help at all. They didn’t care what happens inside when the church doors were closed. It was a house built on lies.

This is where I learned how to defend myself, at least I tried to even if I was gangly and short, I tried my best and I couldn’t even count how many times I’ve lost. As I grow, the other kids grew with me, and some of them even more.

It was stupid, I didn’t understand why they picked on me, or why the priests just let it all happen. There were wolfskins and kitsunes but it’s like they have never seen a kid with weird pointy ears. I hated the gods, the kids, the priests, the city, fuck, bloody all of them for that but then I guess the gods took pity on me. Perhaps the… divine dusk dragon told the cosmos ‘ _Okay, enough, let the poor sod take a break, we’ll smack him in the head later.’_

It was then when I met Old Man Dink.

Took me away and never looked back. Of course, on my own insistence. I was being ganged up back then in an alleyway by teenagers. And then there was this… towering man, pulling one of the bastards in the shirt before dragging him on his back, then maneuvering to drag me aside from all of them before hitting them all with the scabbard of his sword. It was then when I wanted to learn how to fight like that.

I guess I was just like Silas. I was four, almost five when I handled a dagger, then six; a bow and sword.

I was nine when I first had my first kill of a man.

“Corrin?” A masculine voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned and saw the High Prince Lord Xander looking at me with concern. “Is something the matter?”

“Milord, no. No, nothing’s wrong, I was just…” I turned to look at the door of my quarters. I didn’t realize I was here already.

“You were just what?” Lord Xander prompted with a raised eyebrow.

“Thinking, milord.” I answered.

“Well, I’m guessing it must be something important, I thought the door may have offended you of some sort since you were staring at it quite… intriguingly.” Lord Xander smiled. Well, what can I say with a smile like that, how can I resist not to smile back.

“Ah, I promise. All doors are safe from me.” I laughed. “Is there anything I can do for you, milord?”

“Actually, I came here to see you.” He said with a knowing look. “Follow me to the armory, we have something we need to discuss.”

Oh, this is gonna be great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut off some parts in the end, I didn't feel like having his conversation with Xander in the end. Hopefully the next chapter will be the last chapter to flesh out my Corrin before the story continues forward. It'll be a bit slow in the few following chapters though.  
> Again, mistakes are mine, it is not edited nor beta read, so tell if me you have any problems with the story or if there are grammar that needs correcting I have missed. In a constructive way of course.

**Author's Note:**

> Any mistakes are mine, this has not been edited nor beta read.  
> If you want a glimpse of what he sorta looks like, here's he's stats: Tall, Buzzed short hair between Simple and Slick, Pink hair, and a Mature Face. Though my main look for him is sort of a combination for the oldest set for Robin in awakening and this one. Basically this Corrin is a bit older in looks and is leaner in musculature. (That means more meat right? Yeah, just slightly buffer than wimpy game Corrin)


End file.
